This invention relates to cosmetic eye shadow compositions and specifically pearlescent, pressed powder eye shadow compositions and to a process for their preparation.
Pressed powder eye shadow compositions containing nacreous pigments such as natural pearl, mica, bismuth oxychloride, bismuth oxychloride on mica, titanated mica, and titanated mica and iron oxide, are well-known in the cosmetic industry and widely used by consumers to highlight the eyes by imparting an iridescent effect to the eyelid area. Said compositions are generally manufactured by compacting a powder composition under pressure in suitable recepticles to form a cake or tablet. The finished product is generally applied to the eyelid area with a foam tipped applicator or soft brush. Pressed powder eye shadow compositions which contain high levels of pearlescent material are generally preferred since these compositions impart to the eyelids the most dramatic iridescent affects.
However, it has been found that pressed powder eye shadow formulations having a high pearlescent content give rise to a number of serious manufacturing problems foremost of which is the problem of achieving satisfactory compactibility of the composition. Acceptable compaction of pressed powder eye shadow compositions is a function of the amount of pearlescent material, the binder system used in compounding the composition, the size of the recepticle into which the composition is compacted, the pressure under which the composition is compacted and the speed at which the composition is compacted, i.e. the number of units compacted per minute.
To begin with, pressed powder compositions which contain less than about 40% by weight of pearlescent materials generally exhibit unacceptable reflectivity on the skin and for that reason are not considered a pearlescent eye shadow. It has been found that suitable skin reflectivity is only realized where the eye shadow compositions contain 40% or more pearlescent material. However, such compositions are difficult to compact and often exhibit poor skin adhesion properties. While various binder systems have been employed to aid in overcoming compaction problems, the high pearlescent formulations have a tendency to produce softer pressed cakes which often fail to meet standard industry drop tests and ship tests and therefore, lead to a high rejection rate at the pressing operation or consumer dissatisfaction because of glazing or crumbling tendancies. While the specific binder system used in the pressed powder high pearlescent formulations is critical to successful compaction, pressability of a formulation is also dependent on the dimensions of the pans or godets into which the formulations are pressed and the speed at which the pressing operation is carried out. Currently, those manufacturing high pearlescent compositions are constrained to use small circular or rectangular shaped pans (approximately 1" in diameter, length or width and approximately 1/8" in depth) when pressing at high speed. If the pan size is substantially larger, it is generally necessary to reduce the pressing speed in order to achieve satisfactory. Obviously, this pan size/pressing speed dilemma contributes to the cost of manufacture.
As a result of the present invention, the aforementioned problems encountered in the manufacture of pearlescent pressed powder eye shadow compositions have been eliminated altogether or significantly reduced.